Notes on Culture

As noted in the previous entry, about a quarter of the people inhabiting the Central Appalachian region are living in poverty and they do not have material items and luxuries that others, myself included, are used to. Just because they live in poverty, does not mean that they do not know what else is out there. They watch TV and they know they do not have what so many others do. Rather than focusing on what they do not have though, they focus on what they do have and they fully appreciate it. They feel blessed to have what they have.
Culture, which can be defined by the ways in which people make sense out of their lives. It is part of the culture in Central Appalachia to appreciate what they have. They find meaning and value in being able to wake up to the beautiful mountains that surround them every morning. Culture is also defined by economic realities. In the case of the people living in Central Appalachia who are restricted economically, they are forced to find meaning in their lives outside the realm of economics. They find meaning through their families, friends, nature, etc… They are able to value a rainbow in the sky after a storm flooded their home. In the culture I am most familiar with, we value are families and friends in much the same way the people in Central Appalachia do. We do not however value nature and our surroundings the same way as evidence by the damage force upon out environment on a daily basis.